Going to Bahamas with non-kiting GF end of April. I know all the info is available online, but feel free to educate me if you have info/experience/wisdom, thanks!

Staying at British Colonial Hilton in Nassau. Focus will be scuba and stuff w/GF, but she's totally cool with me doing some kiting too. I'm "upper intermediate" level, have an IKO card (BTW, I'm neutral on IKO, hoping not to start an IKO debate thread...and no, I didn't buy their insurance or sign anything or pay for the card), will probably bring my own gear. Are there good kite beaches near where I'm staying? Any prospects right at the hotel? Would be nice to be able to rig and ride near hotel. Also I might pay a kite biz to take me on a half day excursion, any near Nassau recommended? And any recommendations on scuba outfits?

I'm 190+ lbs and figured my 12 Helix would cover me for this time of year, but maybe I should bring a smaller kite too?

Eric-My experance is with Abaco but much of it should still apply..The wind is often frontal so bring 2 to 3 kites.The wind shifts so you'll want some wheels to find good conditions..Kiting over reef is very dangerous , you'll see on your dives...LARGE sharks abound on the outer reef so dont hit the reef with your kite/body or they will be a bloody mess and the resulting swim will be far less then enjoyable-The beaches are often pretty small (narrow), they are often lined with trees called Poison Wood and/or Scrub Pines . Most of the islands in the Bahamas are made of a blackish coral rock called Hard Shore, Hard Shore looks like cheese grater, VERY NASTY STUFF!Come prepared for some COLD, sounds crazy but 30 mph frontal wind can get pretty chilly... For this reason and the punture factor I recommend at least a nice 2/3 shorty (I used an IMPACT SUIT, HELMET and seat harness for protection)This might sound kind of daunting but the pay-off "can" be amazing.

Also- prepare for plunty of non-wind days.... Sounds like you've got that covered

I didn't mean to make it sound UN-fun.. just trying to prepare you for things you may run across....

Since your a diver, I'm sure you've seen sharks.. Personally I'd seen maybe two or three sharks big enough to actually take a bite of you BEFORE I began going to Abaco.. And that WAS after working in the fishing industry AND surfing/windsurfing/ sailing for much of my life..

Then I went to Abaco where I saw what appeared to be a small Tiger Shark on my first day out. That first encounter was in the Sea Of Abaco with a small shark, about 3 feet max.. Then speaking with a few locals I'm informed numerous sharks give live birth in the Mangrove "flats", therefore big sharks are often spotted in shallows....

To make a long story short, it is said that for every shark you see there are probably HUNDREDS you don't see.. (note- Seeing small sharks is really no big deal and pretty common in the shallows ) But when you see 2 sharks in the 12 range, (1000/1500 lb. ) swimming JUST below you on the same day!!!!!! Well- then you'll become a believer that those waters have a "few critters" you'll probably have trouble out-swimming.